The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-10
THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC.


The House of Representatives will this
morning have before it for consideration, as a
special order, the bill for the better regulation
of the liquor traffic. The Republican plat
form committed the party squarely aad irrev-
ocably to the principles Of local control and
higher taxation, and while it may not be pos
sible, or TO be reasonably expected, that the
judgment of every member of the Republican
party was or shall be concluded by the declar-
alton of the platform upon that subject, there
can be no doubt but the platform expressed
the almost universal Republican sentiment
upon the question, as it did the unquestioned
sentiment of majority of the people of the
State. The enthusiastic manner in which
the convention received and ratified
that plank of the platform, and the
success at the polls which followed, are con-
elusive of party and popular sentiment
and Judgment. We earnestly hope to see the
House pass well-considered measure that
will fully comply with the demand of the
platform, and meet the just expectations and
expressed wishes of the party and people.
The fear that the Republican party Of Indiana
| cannot take hold Of and solve the problem of
regulating the liquor traffic in practical
manner is not we'll founded. Indiana can do
| and should do what has been done in Ohio
and in Illinois. The States on the east and
on the west of Indiana have grappled the
question practically, and by the adoption of
the Dow and the Harper laws have satisfied
the great bulk of the people, and have
put the traffic under better restrictions than
it has ever been before Public sentiment
will permit in Indiana what is popular in
Ohio and in Illinois. We sincerely believe
that there could be no more popular law
passed in this State than one embracing the
| features of the Dow law, which secure local
control of and place higher taxation upon
the liquor traffic. The Toledo Blade, a Pro
hibiton paper. says that the Dow law has
closed 200 saloons in Toledo, in Lima in
lronton, 3 in Tiffin, in Athens, 2 in Ash
| land, in Canton. in Mansfield, in Ian
caster, 8 in Bellaire. in Hillsboro, in New.
ark. 3 in Fostoria, in Hamilton, q in
Coshocton, ID in Akron, 2 in GAINESVILLE,
in Portsmouth, 16 in GAINESVILLE 10 in San.
dusky, .46 in Columbus, 13 in Springfield, 1f
in Youngstown, % in Dayton, 800 in Cleve
laad, and 600 in small towns of Ohio. Be
sides these results, the traffic has been abso
! lutely excluded from more than one hundred
villages and towns These results hav'
been obtained qHietisz and without in
volving the whole State in periodic CONFUSION
upon the irritating question, and causin!
each community to face the whole organ
lied force of the Liquor League. Loca
sentimentin any particular place is permitted
to express itself quietly and effectively, an,
without involving other communities VIII,
cannot such measure be made a law in Ii,
dianag Why, at least, should not the Repub
, lican House of Representatives send such
, bill to the Democratic Senate and leave wit
that body the responsibility of defeating prill
, ciples that have worked SO we'll and with sue
general satisfaction in our neighboring State
|